Belgian War Crimes The American Issues, Part II

The Belgian Parliament is determined to create a law that will permit Belgium to serve unilaterally as the court for people wanting to bring “war crimes” and “genocide” charges against anyone, anywhere. The primary goal of the legislation is to bring Ariel Sharon to trial for excesses committed by Lebanese militias in Lebanon in 1982. The law is an affront and its application to a democratic country and an ally of the U.S.

The Belgian Parliament is determined to create a law that will permit Belgium to serve unilaterally as the court for people wanting to bring “war crimes” and “genocide” charges against anyone, anywhere. The primary goal of the legislation is to bring Ariel Sharon to trial for excesses committed by Lebanese militias in Lebanon in 1982. The law is an affront and its application to a democratic country and an ally of the U.S. is a further indication that certain European governments have little better to do than harass those taking a strong stand in the war against terrorists and the states that harbor and support them.

If the story was simply Belgian duplicity and anti-Israel sentiment, it would warrant serious Americans protest of Belgian policy. But it is not. The law, if enforced, may also have grave consequences for the United States and our use of military force abroad, including in Afghanistan and Iraq.

We send troops abroad for a variety of reasons. They have engaged enemy forces in Panama, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq; and they will likely do so again. If another country arrogates to itself the right to determine what constitutes “war crimes” or “genocide” and that country has a clear political stake in determining certain people or certain countries “guilty,” we may find our own soldiers on the wrong side of Belgian legislation for enforcing the disarmament of Iraq – since that policy does not meet with the approval of the Belgian government.

Israel is often referred to as “the canary in the coal mine,” a harbinger of nasty things to come. Americans must protest the mistreatment of Prime Minister Sharon by Belgium – first, because it is on its face outrageous and second, because failure to stop the laughable Belgian assertion of moral superiority will almost surely find that “superiority” turned against American officials and American interests.

Readers: your assignment. Sen. John McCain referred recently to “the American street,” meaning the American people may not quietly accept countries (politically) attacking us and our allies. Contact Belgium’s ambassador to the U.S. and express your concerns (politely, please) and your intention not to visit Belgium or purchase Belgian products, and to ask your friends to do the same. The French Embassy has been INUNDATED with such correspondence because of its anti-Americanism. German business leaders are openly worried about American consumers damaging German industry – and so they should be. Suggest they ask China about “Walmart diplomacy.

“The Belgian Ambassador is Frans van Daele: 202-625-5801 (voice) and 202-625-7567 (fax) frans.vandaele@diplobel.be. Then, send copies to the White House (president@whitehouse.gov, Fax: 202-456-2461 or 2883, Voice: 202-456-1414), State Department (secretary@state.gov, Fax: 202-261-8577, Voice: 202-647-5291) and your elected representatives. And to us.